


Crossing Paths

by Nezanie



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, happy end is ending a, there is big angst in ending b
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-20 15:13:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20677463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nezanie/pseuds/Nezanie
Summary: Years have passed since the war has ended, the that of the Agarthans thwarted. Peace is ever fleeting even now to Byleth whose thoughts go to Edelgard, the ferocious Emperor that would stain her hands with blood for her dreams to unite Fodlan. As dorothea and Byleth reminisce about their brave class leader, rather than the painted tyrant, on the anniversary of their promised meeting. They find themselves filled with the same longing as those of their merry school days.





	1. Crossing Paths

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for the church route. It’s the only one I played at the time of writing. Byleth is they/them, I headcanon them as non-binary (I’ll probably switch from F!Byleth to NB!Byleth in fics). In this fic, I don’t think whether Byleth feels more female or male or neither, it would change anything in this fic. 
> 
> Pairing: DoroEdelEth. All three had feelings for one another because gotta love that extra angst. 
> 
> on a side note, boy do i love you Dorothea for having a normal enough surname. everyones von this, von that.

It was a peaceful, blissful life at the Garreg Mach Monastery. As leader of the united Fodlan, Byleth could not be any happier of the changes that they had perseveringly worked for after the war. The villagers, the knights, the soldiers, the students; young and old, everybody had come together to rebuild their ravaged world. After the death of the emperor, all the fight left in her warriors had left them, and their enemies had been vanquished. All of Fodlan had been waiting for five long years to rest.

The Agarthans had attacked them at their lowest but Byleth and the Black Eagles prevailed once more. Even at their most desperate as their archbishop lost everything, the last of her strength, and with it her sanity. Rhea, who had become tired of those fickle years in vain attempts to resurrect her beloved mother, succumbed to her mother’s sword. And though she would not admit it, Edelgard had in part resonated with a part of the Archbishop. Perhaps it was why she lost herself, finding common ground with whom once she called a wicked vixen. 

As if by some form of karma that made right the words of the flame emperor, her crest rampaged leaving them no choice; The Immaculate one was to be put to rest. To the populace a story was woven that the brave former archbishop had fallen against the White Beast, stepping down to allow a new era of peace, just as the emperor had wished. It was ironic in retrospect.

Once their injuries were taken care of, their former class found themselves as busy as ever and Byleth took what seemed to be their rightful place. Byleth lead them to an era of prosperity alongside their pupils, now adults with their own set of responsibilities. With Byleth at the helm, the Alliance’s leader Claude to count on and everybody that had accompanied them on their journey, it was not as much of a burden as one would suspect, leading the whole world. A united Fodlan was no longer mere wishful thinking. How funny that Edelgard’s ambition seemed to come true only when death’s sweet embrace claimed her.

And even with no heartbeat to speak of, the friends that had come together managed to awaken a part of Byleth that had died many long years ago with their birth mother. Jeralt had been the only one to make them feel something deeply within their soul. There were only few another who did...and one alone who moved them to extremes that it felt their chest would burst open. Why would their heart stir whenever their swords clashed? Byleth would never know and at the very least the pain that came with that thought they could share with their beloved wife. 

Byleth was happy and free to love, truly so. Most of the time that joy was not a lie, it only so happened that under the pale moonlight when they found themselves on their lonesome, memories of the days spent together would come back. To haunt or to push them forward? Byleth could not answer, even with the nagging feeling that not everything was quite alright. They were certain it would never be quite alright, not after war had scarred all of them. 

Almost instinctively, like clockwork on the year, on the day of their promise when the Millenium festival should have been held, those flashes of what had been and could have become were unbearable. In the morning, the Black Eagles would meet, play merry, drinking and eating the anxiousness at the back of their mind away. The whole class felt miserable missing a person the world labeled evil. For they did not recall the woman who became emperor, it was the girl that Byleth saved all those years ago that would greet her teacher. She would be pulling them into a dream when wide awake of class meetups that would run till late, and silly tea times were their hands would sometimes brush. Times when there had been no strain between them. 

“Bylie, dear?”

Byleth slowly turned around from their seat where they had pushed the chair in the middle of the balcony. The family sometimes had lunch there, the view was lovely in the morning and their new spacious house offered a similarly accommodating open room with fresh air. They had fit the place with chairs and a big table enough for the kids to join them as well. The generosity in giving the so called heroes of war a good home was welcomed if only for the fact that the children they took in could have ample comfort to grow in and play around. Perhaps someday the nightmares would ebb away. It certainly felt better taking care of others for the couple.

“Watching the stars?” Dorothea beamed, a finger to her lips informing Byleth the munchkins were all asleep and she’d like them to stay in dreamland. Her eyes reflected the smile on her face just as always when the children were in her care. She had a knack for knowing what the orphans needed the most, personally Byleth disliked the fact that it was from experience but even Byleth couldn’t go back that far to change it. There was a hint of sentimentality in her tone, this particular night always took a toll on the both of them, “Reminiscing already? Without your Thea?”

Byleth smiled at the nickname, “Thea...sorry, I was...visiting an old friend? In my mind?”

“That’s a nice way to put it.”she commented kindly, they both knew Byleth could be so awkward. “But I do think you mean an old flame?” Dorothea teased placing a warm hand on Byleth’s shoulder. With a pat demanding them to scoot over, Byleth complied letting their wife take half of the seat for herself.

Dorothea snuggled into Byleth, frowning, “This isn’t very comfortable,”

Byleth grinned, pulling her from the waist, “Then get closer,”

Placing the hand lower onto Dorothea’s hip, Byleth squeezed encouraging her to move. Dorothea mindful as she was even after all these years, a tease in words alone being respectful in all her actions and a woman of her word. Byleth often found themselves having to give her a little push finding her uncertainty cute in more intimate matters. Or in this case, they squished her tightly against their side earning a set of giggles that did much good on Byleth’s self wrecked nerves. Dorothea must have felt the same practically climbing onto Byleth’s lap at that point, her head leaning into their shoulder.

“I miss her too, sometimes it’s hard to breath, and today’s the anniversary of our class meet up. It just makes it feel a hundred fold...more, urgh...I don't know. For the worse or better, I can’t even tell anymore,” Dorothea confided tapping a finger against Byleth’s chest fiddling with a button. She felt relieved from taking in Byleth’s scent, eventually her warmth seeped in slowly enough to cause her beloved to shiver. They hadn’t noticed just how cold the night had become.

“You’re cold,” Dorothea chided softly and let the berrating end with that small comment.

“Worse I’d think. The regret...it leaves me breathless too,” Byleth’s expression made Dorothea’s heart tighten against her ribs, she imagined it was smashing itself against the bones sometimes. Her hand cupped their cheek as she tried to rub the sadness away, she knew how futile it was. It was their price to pay, that old wounds would burn every now and then, physical or not.

“She spoke of you so fondly, dear. Your regret is not just yours alone, hers was not swaying you to her side. She loved you just that much, as deeply as you still do today,” she whispered amiably trying to soothe the inconsolable. 

“I…”

No words came to Byleth, there wasn’t anything they could spin around to hide it. Dorothea wore the same melancholic face many times. She didn’t seem displeased at all, she had known. Byleth’s Black Eagles all held a special place in their heart for their class leader, and it was a sentiment that was even more powerful in Byleth...and Dorothea. She remembered the tears she shed for their friends, how she had lost her voice only once when Edelgard had been slain after singing a promised song that she would never hear. It had taken months for her to find it again.

“Silly. It’s okay, you’re so silly.” Her words were strangled, almost as if they were caught in her throat. “I loved her too.” Dorothea nearly choked on the word love, perhaps feeling it was cruel to the children that were now her own, to their family for feeling so strongly towards one of the causes for their losses. 

There was always that hallucination that came with the guilt, of blood running down her hands, dripping from the tip of her fingers. The sensation of a weapon’s hilt, solid and tangible, making it as if she had been the one to plunge it into the beloved parents and siblings of the organs. She had known that feeling in real life and it never was pleasant.

Byleth seemed concerned for a moment as she took a deep breath. The nausea subsiding within the count of ten a ritual many of the survivors had made a habit of. Her feelings needed to be delivered, they were just as important as the guilt. “War is made from regrets, it’s probably caused by them too, and even the victors will find themselves assailed by new kinds of regrets. Its inescapable, and at times when I become numb to the guilt of my thoughts about Edie, I just can’t help and think that we could have saved her somehow.”

Byleth seemed lost in thought. Dorothea nudged their chin with the side of her head, “What I’d like to say is…the heart isn’t some place you can reserve for one person. A good fellow can hold an infinite amount of love for as many people as you can think of. How could you only love me? I’d be a little scared of that,”

“You’re always so poetic,” Byleth sighed, trying to diffuse the tension and kissing the top of her head. Dorothea remained closed into herself on top of them and Byleth only moved their body trying to cover hers from the chill of the night. “We won the war to face our regrets, huh? It does sound nice to mull over a nice cup of tea,”

Dorothea shifted with a serious look on her face, placing her hands on Byleth’s shoulders and sliding them to their neck. There was that twinge of hurt in her eyes, Dorothea’s expression mirrored Byleth’s own sorrow, “You have such a good soul, Bylie. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t bear the sins the war made us carry. You’d have thrown them all away.” Her smile broke their heart - beat it might not but they felt it as strongly as ever - there was a time when Dorothea’s face lit up in mirth, now it was a rarity among the exhaustion.

“Remember the first time you called me Thea? Everyone was so surprised, and that includes yours truly. I never told you how grateful I was, it helped me break down some walls in the class,” the memory was a fond one for the both of them, it even made the tension behind her smile melt some as Dorothea thought back. “It made me less intimidating to some. People started to talk to me with a little less guard after, perhaps I had been a tad snarky,”

“You were much more wholesome than the rumors made you out to be...you know...we…”Byleth struggled with how to explain. They recalled how that day had transpired perfectly well and why exactly they had referred to Dorothea with a nickname. The only problem was, could Byleth have the right to tell her? Would it make any sense to keep it a secret any longer?

Looking up to Dorothea, they blinked getting caught off guard as a pair of lips touched her own. The tip of their noses almost touching, and suddenly Byleth just knew that they would be forgiven for such a minor transgression.

“What’s so funny? I was trying to be inspirational!” Dorothea whined hearing the giggles from their beloved.

“I was just remembering that day. Edel was right next to you, smiling so fondly even when you could only gape in your shock,” Byleth tried to cover their laugh but it was a little too late.

“Whatever do you mean, my mouth was not doing that! It was closed, thank you ve-” Dorothea trailed off, no longer appearing cross but pensive, “Now that you mention it, she wasn’t scowling that much that day, it happened when she…”

It seemed she had an inkling on what Byleth was coming to, “Yes, it was her idea. She came up with it, all red faced and quite demanding. ‘A united front is a stronger one,’ she said, trying to cover up how worried she was I imagine.” Edelgard had been quite fond of meddling into the affairs of others even when keeping her own under lock and key. “If you were going to give everyone nicknames, you should’ve had your own,”

Dorothea was stunned into silence, tapping her forehead against Byleth’s own. “Ha, that girl.” Raising her head up high, the stars seemed to answer her each with a twinkle in response across the night sky. Was it the world’s way of trying to cheer her up? “How could someone so thoughtful choose...such a drastic measure. I just can’t understand what went through her mind.”

‘She used to say the same thing about you…’ Byleth decided not to voice this particular confidence that took place many moons ago. Besides, Edelgard had been quite angry with the system when Dorothea admitted her own way of surviving in the streets.

“Secrets didn’t matter to her. She trusted the skill of her classmates, and their word,” Byleth said knowing fully well the horrors Edelgard had seen, the nightmares that twisted her view of the world enough to make her bloody her own hands to try and correct it. And even then, no matter how horrid the emperor had been painted by the church it mattered not. Byleth knew, Edelgard had good intentions. She just decided the means did not matter once they got to a happy end.

“Wish I could’ve asked her,” Dorothea sighed, pushing her back against Byleth’s chest and snuggling into it. “I wanted to know why we had to choose different paths, if we were together, we might have been her brakes,”

‘If...what if...we were together?,’ Byleth hummed as their thoughts become quite nonsensical, their head spinning with an impossible idea. Dorothea’s words placing the gears into place as if the oil to a creaky, grinding tool that just needed that little bit of extra help to work smoothly. Byleth couldn’t help but fidget underneath her making their beloved quirk a brow.

“Something on your mind Bylie?” she asked curiously, glancing backwards.

“If...if...Thea it might sound silly but humor me, my love,” Byleth rubbed their fingers along their own lips, wetting them before continuing, “If we had the chance to do it all again, to choose Edelgard and be her guide to a less...rocky road…”

Dorothea interrupted them without missing a beat, somehow excited by the discourse, “I’d do it in a heartbeat!” She must have felt very strongly about it, Byleth would have laughed had it not been by the sudden deadly grip on their hand. They couldn’t help but wince and suck in a breath.

“Sorry!” she murmured releasing the poor squished hand, “I just...if we could take away the burden of being emperor, the label of being a warmonger. If we could let her be just Edelgard for a little longer, even if the war couldn’t be avoided no matter what we do. I’d still want to try, perhaps, there could be just one drop less of blood on her hand, and I’d still think it worth it all,”

Byleth bit into their lip, they knew how the ice cold rain of terror and grief they had been showered with would never be truly swept away. Byleth could still hear the screams, the gritty, rust coloured blood under their nails that they felt wouldn’t clean up no matter how spotless they were. Edelgard marking the way for Byleth and their companions future over her own grave had left them weary too. The dignity she showed in admitting defeat, in death made the memory indeleble. And even though in Byleth’s mind they knew the madness of their current thoughts, their hearts were already too heavy to feel the added weight of admitting one selfish wish.

It felt of comfort to know Dorothea felt the same. So instead of voicing reason, Byleth teased, “It seems our emperor was very much loved, and I’m not speaking about my own feelings for once,”

Dorothea blushed from being caught off guard, it was getting late and she was probably too tired to counter. She raised her legs pulling them to the side across Byleth’s lap and clapped a hand against their cheek. “I’m being serious,”

‘So am I,’ Byleth smiled without saying a word. Instead they reached for the hand in Dorothea’s lap and kissed it gently. Dorothea’s heart fluttered only partially because of the sweetness of the gesture. There was something in the way that Byleth stared at her that kept Dorothea on her toes tonight.

“I know, I feel the same, I failed Edelgard as her mentor. It doesn’t matter how young and inexperienced I may have been. No matter how many times I will have to try, I swear here and now, on my parents grave and on our love. I’ll save her. Wars be damned,” Byleth squeezed Dorothea’s hand a little too forcefully. Their eyes wandered over the ledge towards the horizon.

“Bylie?” Dorothea called, wondering where their mind might have ran off to. If Byleth was still with them or if just like so many times before when they were back at Edelgard’s side. It didn’t matter how hard Byleth gripped, there was so much more painful things in their life, she couldn’t help holding back just as hard.

“Yes, love,” they answered back slowly, coming out of their dreamlike state and at the same time relenting their hold. 

Dorothea heaved a breath of relief jokingly saying, “I still think the magic bombardment on the fort was a bit excessive. Even if I really keep thinking it wasn’t much like Edie’s style, she was a handful, yes. Drastic. Yes. Even so, she did like a fair fight and she hated involving who didn’t accept the risks,”

Byleth couldn’t help the snort even as they nodded solemnly. The war had destroyed everybody’s sense of humor. 

Byleth had an inkling of how the bombs came to be. Rhea had many enemies when she was alive, if she could have lived for so long, those who slither in the dark wouldn’t have relented so easily. Her kind was lost, an enemy so strong that destroyed folks able to transform into a creature as mighty as the Immaculate One couldn’t just disappear. And in fact, they came for Byleth and even now after all the peace thinking about Those who Slither made them squirmish enough to make sure to prepare just in case they just might not be a thing of the past.

“I’ll be sure to let her know,” they replied without much thought, formulating a half baked plan that could very well make them lose everything they gained in their many victories. ‘If it all works out,’

If being the progenitor god’s vessel was worth something, Byleth could be allowed to use the perks that came with all the shit they went through to live for a retry. Even one as big as they wanted. There was no beat inside their chest sure, their humanity wasn’t lost and it might have even made them greedier than normal precisely because it lost such an important ability. Then why, why did it feel like it leapt right through their chest when the Sword of the Creator tasted the blood of the emperor. Byleth didn’t dream of thinking about the answer to that, it filled them with fear unlike any other. 

Byleth had so many wandering thoughts about it. ‘Why is the thought of my heart beating so scary? And if it’s fear I’m feeling, why can’t i help wanting to feel that more,’ 

Dorothea rubbed in between their furrowed brows with a tender expression. “You’ve made me a very happy woman, these last five years,”

Byleth, in surprise to the change of subject, couldn’t stop the nervous chuckle, “What brought this on?”

Dorothea brought Byleth in, cupping their face and pulling them close for a long, angry kiss. Her face scrunched up and she bit down hard enough to draw blood from Byleth’s bottom lip. When they parted, she clicked her tongue before deigning to answer. “The feeling that the current me cannot reach where you will be going,” 

“How…” Byleth rasped, guilty as charged. The years must have taken a toll on them, feigning innocence didn’t come as easy anymore.

“We’ve been together for awhile, maybe not a lifetime but the things we’ve seen connected us. Even before our marriage, I knew,” Dorothea pressed a hand against Byleth’s chest, there was nothing underneath the palm of her hand but the warmth that told her she wasn’t clinging to a corpse. “Edelgard moved your heart, even if the Black Eagles touched it ever so slightly, we couldn’t hope to make it beat. Even when I hold it she still a little more, hmm, impact?”

Byleth cooed as they brushing a hand through Dorothea’s hair, “Thea, you didn’t touch my heart, you became a part of it,”

“And I am proud of that. As would Edie be knowing she was just as big of a part.” she laughed, a single, sorrowful sound. The hint of her sassy self returned as she tried to cover up her feeling of inadequacy, “Bylie, dear, you know I don’t mind sharing with Edie,”

“What are you…”

Dorothea huffed, obviously having caught a glimpse of their plans easily, “Oh Bylie, you don’t do hypothetical talk, you act,”

Byleth groaned letting their head hang back in defeat, so much for thinking it through before breaking the news. “I just can’t…” They hit the edge of their seat rather hard and straightened in a fluster, “...argh....beat you,”

Dorothea snickered, carefully minding to the back of Byleth’s head and trying to smooth down the new small lump. 

“Neither of you actually, I always seem a step behind. Even now, Thea, you and Edel, my heart is filled with you. It doesn’t need to beat for me to feel whole,” Byleth confessed cheesily.

“You shouldn’t lie dear,” Dorothea said deadpan.

Byleth flinched, they might have sounded succurine and perhaps they overdid it. Dorothea wasn’t going to be fooled so easily into forgetting that they were going to go far away. There was something missing and they both couldn’t live without giving mending things a try. She felt the same and that was why Byleth couldn’t hide it from her.

“She was our heartbeat and you need her back. I need her back. You love both of us. And I will always love you, so let me help you out.” Dorothea halted with an idea written all over her face, “Yes I’ll help! On one condition,” she held her hand in front of Byleth, index finger against their lips so she could finish her speech.

Byleth gave one curt nod, attentive.

“Don’t give up,” Dorothea asked of them, pressing her palms against their hot cheeks. “Not until Edie is safely with the Black eagles and living happily by our side.”

Byleth could have sworn their chest felt lighter, euphoria taking over. “You have my word, my love. It’s a tall order, I’d imagine, but you have my word.” 

“Good,” Dorothea grinned, glad to have the upper hand once more, “You’ll have something to work on to forget that frown then, ”


	2. Ending A: Good End - Three Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy ending A. In which i give you fluffy edeleth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An important side note before you start, ending a and b were written as separate 'timelines' so to speak. As an author i'll leave it up to the audience to interpret if that's the case or if the bad end loops into the happy end eventually. If you'd rather avoid the angst, ending B is the sad part feel free to not read.

“Byl-”

A person stirred from their nap where they lay in the middle of a large garden, the tree no longer giving them the shade it once offered earlier in the day. The only thing they could do as sleep eluded them and they awakened was to scrunch up their nose. The hot sun left them feeling an annoying scorch on their forehead. Becoming aware of the numbness prickling along their arms the sleepyhead became aware of a voice. ‘

Since when does she call me by my name?’ the confusion thought made them feel uncomfortable for a moment.

“Byleth!”

Taking a slow breath, their grogginess dissolved as their mind caught up to the fact that Edelgard was the one calling them. Byleth’s body moved way too fast into a sitting position and when they tried to stand their legs got left behind. Byleth ended up plopping right back down onto their backside.

With a grunt, Byleth pouted towards the laughter, melodic and ...heart wrenching for some reason. It must have been the strange, melancholic dream they had. Couldn’t quite remember it. The surprise at seeing Edelgard was gone - why wouldn’t Byleth see her at their own home? - replaced by giddiness.

A smile spread across Byleth’s face as Edelgard crouched down next to them, it came so naturally nowadays as peace prospered across the united Fodlan. There were no shoes on her feet, the woman felt quite free trudging barefoot even in their garden. Dorothea would berate her often and it would fall on deaf ears. Edelgard’s whims and fantasies were still unstoppable even if mundane nowadays.

“Come now, my dear teacher, where are you napping?” she said tone playful, placing a cool hand on Byleth’s warm cheek. The affectionate nickname that had once been the only manner by which Edelgard addressed Byleth was now a soft, hard earned cherished habit for both of them.

“You haven’t called me that in a while,” Byleth patted the grass by their side. Rolling closer to Edelgard and seemingly shocking the woman.

Edelgard quirked a brow as they stared at each other, she could see her beloved’s eyes darting across her face in search of something she couldn’t quite grasp. It made her feel as if Byleth was expecting her to vanish into thin air.

“What is it?” she asked, sucking in a breath as the gap between them lessened all of a sudden. She almost didn’t feel the soft, round lips on her own with how quick it all was.

Byleth smiled so tenderly right then she could have melting into their arms now sitting at her sides, “Sorry, Edel my love, I must have dozed off while reading.” Picking up the culprit from near their legs, they winked playfully.

“I don’t mind,” Edelgard murmured, arranging the loose strands of Byleth’s hair and tossing some grass and any foliage stuck to it. “Not if you’re always this affectionate when you wake up.” Edelgard ran a hand along their fringe. “The bed hair makes you cute,”

Byleth hummed happily, frowning as they reached out for her hand, “You’ve become very honest,”

“Peace has...given me all the reasons to be so, I could say. I thought I had to do everything on my own, even Hubert I couldn’t completely trust. Destroy to rebuild isn’t a welcome solution,” she admitted leaning in close, shoulder to shoulder with Byleth.

Byleth sniffed in thought, “ Ehm, It’s a...little drastic,”

“It was, and you decided to stay by my side and opened my eyes to alternatives. Not many would challenge their own emperor,” Edelgard snickered seeing how openly proud by the memories of their many headbutts Byleth seemed. She was past the point of embarrassment after all these years.

“And here you are,” Edelgard nudged her shoulder into Byleth’s with a grin, “Bringing leaders of the kingdom, the alliance and all across Fodlan together to guide them to a future united Fodlan, without spilling any more blood,”

“You should stop painting yourself a villian Edelgard, your atonement isn’t an easy path but you were willing to choose it. Cut yourself some slack.” Byleth warned knowing how many times the conversation could veer to being self derogatory.

Edelgard smiled, raising her head and basking in the sun without a reply to give. Byleth pursed their lips and said no more. There was hurt, guilt and feelings they couldn’t share with one another. Theirs to hold onto and confront, but Byleth believed it was still possible to support one another through the swarm of emotions the war still had them carry.

Edelgard exhaled, with a shake of her head. “You never ceased to surprise me. To think our blades might have crossed rather than our paths,”

Byleth’s face paled at her words, the heavy sleep they had came out from must have still held them in the nightmare of a world without Edelgard. The images of the sword of creator cleared, just as it plunged into Edelgard, and Byleth pulled her close in the real world holding their beloved in tightening arms to make sure she was still there, warm and happy. What were those images? Why were they so haunting?

They couldn’t bear the sudden thought, that in a world that was no longer their own - for some reason Byleth knew the fact that such a fate was once true - a universe where their lives crossed on the battlefield and they shared one last goodbye.

“Byleth, what’s wrong?” Edelgard whispered sweetly, rubbing a hand across Byleth’s back soothingly - restricted as she was there was little comfort she could offer. Her cheeks painted with an obvious blush, she seemed startled having not become accustomed to the affection even after years of marriage.

Eventually, the fear subsided and the notion that there was so much Byleth could share with Edelgard took over. “It’s, nothing, I just...how weird, it felt so lonely when you were speaking like that. Even if it was hypothetical talk, Edel,” Byleth took a deep breath putting on a big, slightly forced smile. The subject was in dire need of a change, “Is Thea not with you?”

Edelgard adjusted, placing her arm around Byleth’s waist and snuggling close. Physicalities she kept only to two people in the whole wide Fodlan. In their time as a professor, never would it have crossed Byleth’s mind that they would come to frolic so freely together.

“Oh, right! She’s making us some tea! Mercedes sent some sweets last time she came to visit her brother.” Edelgard was practically licking her lips thinking about the delicacies. “Thea thought that after that meeting this morning, we would need it,”

Byleth groaned, hanging limply into the half hug they were sharing, “Don’t remind me about it,”

Edelgard looked quite frowny then, her smile turning upside down.

“Sorry, it must have been much more difficult for you,” Byleth said, placing their own arm against Edelgards back and reaching for her shoulder. It brought them even closer, which was pretty much part of Byleth’s plan, Edelgards body temperature was really something else. 

“No, I…” Edelgard cut herself short, huffing.

“Are you still worried about how you were invited?” Byleth asked simply knowing their wife was still feared by some. And that did frustrate her deep down no matter how much she knew it was to be expected.

“No, I was ready to be faced with adversity. I instigated the war for things to change. In my own mind it was for a good cause but...it was a war nonetheless,” she let her head fall onto Byleth’s shoulder, “No matter that it meant to destroy a tyrannical system where the crests were all that mattered, I won't run away from the repercussions. That’s why I decided we needed you to lead our united front,”

“One’s birth, as one’s crest should not dictate a person’s way of life. They weren’t your exact words…and still I...,” Byleth remembered clearly how strongly that belief echoed within the empire and the black eagle class. Even some of the transfers like Lysithea and Marianne, couldn’t help but be swept by Edelgard’s charisma and their professor’s way of supporting her. Reining her in, allowing the emperor to be a girl at times, in between the need of a country that needed a ruler. Few as they might have been it was those times that made them fall deeper in love. When they freely took each other’s hands in longing.

“You have no idea, how glad I was that my words could reach you. I’m sorry, I never was the talkative type when it came to my feelings and ambitions,” Edelgard admitted before sighing, “Besides, those snakes were in my ranks as well, I needed to thread carefully and let them run amok for far too long,”

“Now they are gone too. Don’t dwell on it, my love,” Byleth reassured her, kissing her temple. Regret would only hold them back and they spilled far too much innocent blood not to make it worth it all.

“Well, it wasn’t easy,” Edelgard made a noise between a laugh and a huff. She grimaced. “I just had to bear with it,”

Byleth remained silent for a moment, looking for the right words, and they seemed to trickle from the back of their mind, “I made a promise never to give up. My path does not lie across your grave Edel,”

Byleth shifted to lie on their knees in front of her, Edelgard seemed displeased at the loss of body warmth. It didn’t matter as her hands were grabbed and squeezed, looking up to see the tears sliding down across her beloved’s face. Somehow those words didn’t feel like something Byleth would say, the grave undertone sounded more like something she would come up with.

Edelgard freed one hand to reach up and wipe the tears away, “Then I can’t go and give up myself, can I?” She ended up laughing, “You’ve been spending to much time with me, sounding so serious!”

Byleth pushed their cheek against her hand. Edelgard smiled at the action, with a giggle she continued, “I have to do my best for the people’s future, even if all the blood I’ve split cannot be atoned for, I must not let it have been all in vain,”

“That goes for all of us,” Byleth replied, placing a hand on their heart, it beat heavy and strong. They knew the decisions taken during the war, Byleth’s own terms included, were merciless and cruel, “Let’s go, Thea must be getting worried,”

Edelgard didn’t seemed convinced with how the conversation ended. Byleth got up to their feet extending a hand, “The path I chose, is to walk with you Edel, in the light of another day, please never forget,”

‘How could I?’ Edelgard felt her eyes sting, the happiness she thought impossible for her to garner so real and tangible. The look she gave Byleth was worth more than a thousand words as she received a soft, closed eye grin.

“Hmmm,” she hummed out loud, flushing and trying to hide her own joy. “Is Thea’s influence so strong, you’ve become poetic,” 

“I don’t think I can sing the story of emperor Edelgard quite as well,” Byleth teased pulling her up. Edelgard helped them pat off any earth from their garments, fussing as she always did. It made them feel like an old couple already, always worrying about one another.

“Oh hush, she was planning on writing it herself at one point, don’t remind her,” Edelgard said exasperated, and she was quite sure Dorothea would have done even if just to keep Edelgard on edge.

“If she does, it’ll be quite a storm of a play,” Byleth said crossing their arms as they imagined how difficult it would be to summarise their journey. It gave them quite a headache and it was probably something Dorothea could and would do. Even just to fluster Edelgard.

“It would be worth a ticket, a story about a teacher standing up to an emperor, enlightening them there was more to life than a path of steel and blood. And a songstress adamant that the emperor would take care of themselves as much,” Edelgard crossed her arms, lost in thought of how it would play out in the acts a play would consist off. “I’d be embarrassed seeing how pampered I was by you two to see reenacted it on stage,”

Byleth clicked their tongue, “And here I thought I was the poetic one?”

“Oh you,” Edelgard said in chiding tone, lightly pushing Byleth away as they tried to hug them tight again. It all ended up in silly squabble of giggles and arms flailing, almost as if their youth had never gone by. Sometimes as they aged, the trio could be even more childish than when they were kids.

“There you two are,” a stern voice came from the path leading to their castle. The pair of love birds, looked up sheepishly to the cross woman with her hands on her hips.

“Hey now, you two! Leaving me all alone just to flirt with one another,” she gasped dramatically sobbing into the palm of her hands. Peeking from between her fingers she gave them a wink.

“Dorothea!” they cried in unison at her antics.

“Mmmmmn?” she sang in question to the tone she was met with, puffing out a cheek and looking away.

“Thea,” Edelgard called shaking her head. With a look at Byleth and their hand in hers, she pulled her significant other along to join Dorothea.

“Aww, Edie, I love when you call me with the nickname you chose,” Dorothea giggled, coming up to meet them and entwining her arms in both of theirs.

“I’m...! Ah, why ever did you tell her I gave her that name, Byleth?” Edelgard grumbled, she didn’t seem as against holding Dorothea’s hands on the other hand.

Byleth didn’t sound quite sorry as they mumbled an apology and a small ‘oops’. “I wonder why,” they laughed, almost pleased with themselves, “I might just love my wives a little too much,”

Dorothea cooed sweetly as Edelgard face reddened and somehow, bad dreams or not, everything seemed just fine. Byleth felt at peace dragged inside for tea time by their two favourite people. With a nation to lead that might have been terrifying if not for the steady beat of their three hearts in unison.


	3. Ending B: Bad End - Frozen Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The angst edeleth is pretty good.

‘This is…wrong. All! Wrong!”’

It took Byleth all their willpower to take the next breath, to keep their feet stready, their hands on the hilt of the sword of the creator threatened to open and just let go of everything.

‘This isn’t….it is not what I wanted,’

There was a lurch at the pit of their stomach and a strange tingling in their chest, where there shouldn’t even be. It was impossible, that part of them had been robbed many years ago. Someone had told them. Who? How had it come to pass? Their memory was a jumble, confusion wrought from stress and exhaustion, and most of all the need to sob.

‘This cannot be...our fate,’

Byleth stared down at the Emperor, a sight that could only be new however felt the most familiar of their life. Edelgard had never been down on her knees before, she would have died on the spot and yet the inkling that this had happened couldn’t be shaken. It almost felt like a dagger had taken lodge in their insides. All that Byleth could ever be for this woman was their teacher, nothing more and it hurt them deeply how they longed to hear her call them so sweetly, eager to discuss tactics once more. For in Byleth’s eyes, Edelgard was not the emperor but the student and a quaint companion they had shared many talks with. The girl who was respected by her peers, both Black Eagles and outside her own class, and in turn trusted she sought people for their talents not their lineage. The class leader who was up to any challenge with fire alighting the blood in her veins, fearless to put those willing to risk to save the weak, to right the whole world. Angry at the powerful who exploited and killed the innocent even when on her own side.

How strange that Edelgard would push herself to be painted as a cruel tyrant when she had behaved very differently in her teenage years. Even now, staring into her eyes, Byleth saw how her youth had been squashed out of her by the heavy burdens of her past by her own volition. It might have happened a long time ago, however they had not thought Edelgard had been broken to this extent.

‘Why must she bear this on her own? Why couldn’t my voice reach you? Why? Why? Why?’ Byleth was becoming desperate, there was one path in the eyes staring up at them. They could no longer avoid the inevitable even when they questioned the church’s need to call Edelgard evil. It was over when Byleth sided with Rhea. It was too late. It was always too late. What was always slipping from their grasp? What decision were they taking that could veer them so far away from Edelgards path?

The last time Byleth felt so strongly for another was when Jeralt had died. There had been a strange tremor in their chest, and now Byleth was feeling it even more making it hard to think of anything but the strange pain in their chest. At the monastery, the children under Byleth’s tutelage changed their teacher’s life and in turn Byleth had worked to make a difference for theirs. And Edelgard, her heart was laid bare upon defeat. The intensity of the moment took Byleth by surprise lowering the sword, the hand holding on the sword of the creator trembled. Their strength left them until it’s tip clinked against the ground.

Edelgard, proud and powerful even prostrate in front of them, glared. Her eyes pierced into their very soul. An unspoken question, reflected in Byleth’s own, ‘Why did you not join me?’

Was this the echo of their shared regret that could no longer be voiced? It was followed by another whisper, from the depths of Byleth’s mind, one that had never quite been spoken in this life but the professor knew to be important. ‘You must not give up. Find a way. No matter how many times you must plunge your sword and extinguish Edelgard’s flame, one day, one route will lead you to the happiness you can share together,’

This terrible replayed scene in the palace where Edelgard always falls. Had Byleth truly experienced this sorrow before? ‘Is this not the first time? Will this not be the last?’ their thoughts spiralled making Byleth dizzy with fear.

Somehow, Byleth knew the answer. And they steel themselves raising the goddess’ sword to bring down judgement they did not agree with. Byleth’s lips move on their own, “Edel, wait for me,”

The words slipped, faint hope carried over from a promise half forgotten, loud enough for the Emperor’s ears. They didn’t feel like Byleths own as they came out stammered. “I...I promise, our paths will cross,”

Edelgard’s eyes widen, she seems confused for a moment. And then she smiles, dazzling, beautiful, and breathtaking, a look she reserved just for Byleth as death’s swift blade descended upon her once more. 

The deafening screams of Edelgard’s beloved teacher pierces the hall of the palace alerting of the fall of the emperor. There are screams of joy, intermingling with these cries, that become lost among the ferocity of the celebrations of the end of the war. The songstress’ sword falls to the ground with a feeble thunk amidst the roars, there were no songs that she could offer but the silent weep for the emperor that would have no ballad in her honor. And their teacher who could no no longer find any tears to spill as they wondered if their next route could finally bring their love to fruition.


End file.
